City of Joondalup ratepayers have thrown the book at their local government over a proposal to cut library hours.
In an effort to deliver budget savings, the city had intended to reduce opening hours by one hour, from 7pm to 6pm, on two nights a week at the Duncraig, Whitford and Woodvale public libraries from July 6.
The move would have cut staff costs by about $47,000.
However, the city has abandoned the proposal after a petition calling for the plans to be scrapped was launched and signed by more than 600 residents.
Joondalup’s new chief executive officer, Craig Lloyd, who stepped into the top job only last month, confirmed the city will not proceed with the changes and said community input played a key role in the decision.
“The community has been clear about how important our libraries are, and we’ve listened,” Mr Lloyd said.
“On Monday, I visited our libraries and spoke with staff and visitors to better understand how they operate.
“It was clear our libraries provide an exemplary service and are deeply valued by the community — we should be proud of that.”
At the city’s previous council meeting, where members of the community spoke against the changes, city directors said the reductions were being made in line with budget parameters aimed at reducing the city’s operational budget shortfall.
Camera IconOpening hours at the Woodvale, Whitford and Duncraig libraries would have been reduced by one hour, two days a week under a now-abandoned cost-saving plan. Credit: City of Joondalup
They said only an average of 10 new visitations were recorded during the planned hour set to be cut, compared with an average of 35 across the rest of the day at the three libraries.
The petition asking for the changes to be scrapped had argued that reducing opening hours by one hour would negatively impact the community.
“Reducing opening hours directly harms the library services the community relies on most — especially during cost-of-living pressures,” the petition led by Susan North said.
“We call on council to reinstate these hours and instead find savings in other ways that don’t directly disadvantage the community.”
Mr Lloyd said the decision to backflip on the changes reflected a broader commitment to ensuring the city’s services align with community expectations, and thanked residents who engaged with the city over the matter.
“Our libraries are much more than book-lending — they are important community spaces that support learning, digital access and social connection,” he said.
“This is a strong example of the city listening and responding in a constructive and considered way.”
Alongside the decision, the city said it was now also fast-tracking its library strategy report to ensure future planning reflected both council priorities and community needs.
“The strategy will help guide how our library services continue to evolve and meet changing community expectations into the future,” Mr Lloyd said.